Public comment on the proposed Wisconsin-Lake Michigan National Marine Sanctuary are being accepted through March 31 at https://www.regulations.gov/docket?D=NOAA-NOS-2016-0150.
Josh Clark/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

The Rouse Simmons, also known as the Christmas Tree Ship, sank on Nov. 23, 1912, in Lake Michigan off the coast of Two Rivers, and is one of the 39 known ships in the proposed Lake Michigan National Marine Sanctuary.(Photo: Courtesy of Tamara Thomsen/Wisconsin Historical Society)

As Alpena residents living near the shores of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, we find ourselves having a strong reaction to comments made about TBNMS in recent guest editorials regarding the proposed Wisconsin-Lake Michigan National Marine Sanctuary. The TBNMS has been a significant part of our community now for 17 years.

Having experienced community opposition to NOAA’s proposal to designate Thunder Bay in the late 1990s, we are in a position to reflect on what the sanctuary means to northeastern Michigan.

Fears of federal government intrusion never became a reality. Instead, whether you talk to fifth-graders, parents, teachers, business owners, or water sports and fishing enthusiasts, what you will most likely hear is “The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is one best things to happen to Alpena.”

We say it ourselves and we hear it often.

Simply put, the sanctuary has positively impacted our economy and quality of life, while helping protect the Great Lakes and their rich history.

Communities in two adjacent lakefront counties — Alcona and Presque Isle — had the same doubts about the sanctuary that Alpena originally did, and some in Wisconsin currently do.

Once leaders in these counties saw how well the sanctuary was working, they spent several years working to have the boundaries expanded to include the waters off their counties; the desired expansion occurred in 2014.

From research to education, the sanctuary’s programs are top-notch and bring national attention to Lake Huron, as well as researchers and tourists to our community.

Thousands of students have learned about Lake Huron through sanctuary programs. The TBNMS Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center is a cultural attraction for locals and tourists welcoming nearly 100,000 visitors a year.

It was recently voted a top 10 Michigan visitor destination by a USA TODAY reader poll, and serves as a venue for special events such as a 2014 international underwater robotics competition that brought 59 teams from 13 countries to Alpena. More than 1,000 people attended that event.

These are just a few examples of sanctuary-related activities that our community leverages to create positive local and regional impacts.

Some of us are shoreline property owners and we have had nothing but positive experiences with the sanctuary. Many of us volunteer a great deal of our time. In fact, in 2016, 300 volunteers contributed 8,000 hours — a real testimony to our community's commitment to the sanctuary.

Through the sanctuary advisory council, we have a voice in sanctuary management. In fact, we helped shape the sanctuary’s management plan.

The sanctuary has helped make our community not only a better place to visit, but a better place to live and work.

While Alpena likes to boast that we have the only freshwater national marine sanctuary in the Great Lakes, we would be saddened to learn that a community along the shores of Lake Michigan missed out on such a unique opportunity.

We invite you to visit and ask questions and determine for yourself both the facts, and potential, for a marine sanctuary designation in Wisconsin.

Chuck Wiesen is board chairman of the Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Alpena, Michigan.

Carol Shafto is chairman of the Thunder Bay Sanctuary Advisory Committee, secretary for Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine and former Alpena mayor.

Beach Hall is former mayor of Rogers City (Presque Isle County) and Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary board member.

Don MacMaster, Ph.D., is president of Alpena Community College.

John McVeety is retired CEO of Alpena Medical Center.

Matt Waligora is Alpena mayor.

Jim Klarich is executive director of Target Alpena Development Corporation.